Organising next year's Rugby World Cup in Australia is a huge task - but maybe not as hard as the challenge Eddie Jones' under-achieving Wallabies face in defending it.

Over the past year the Australian rugby team compiled a mediocre 6-4 win-loss record, and surrendered the Tri Nations trophy and Mandela Cup.

On their season-ending tour to Argentina and Europe, they had a scrappy win over the Pumas before losing to Ireland for the first time in 23 years.

The Wallabies fell to England for the third straight year - leading to criticism of the form of skipper George Gregan - before a tour-ending win over easybeat Italy.

But while the Wallabies may have stumbled during 2002, the Australian Rugby Union bounded ahead.

Its plans for a fourth Super 12 team were scuppered by New Zealand in February but the Kiwis were left shell-shocked soon after when they lost their World Cup sub-host status after failing to comply with commercial conditions.

The ARU pounced and was awarded lucrative sole-hosting rights by the International Rugby Board in April.

The 48-match, 45-day tournament, expected to generate more than $800 million in economic activity with 55,000 overseas tourists, will kick off at Sydney's Telstra Stadium on October 10 when Australia takes on Argentina.

The final will be held at the same venue on November 22.

Demand for tickets to the tournament has been overwhelming both in Australia and overseas, riding on the back of the success of the 2001 Lions tour and the 2000 Olympics.

The Australians' frustrating results saw them slump to third in world rankings, behind resurgent England and New Zealand, with France nipping at their heels.

Wallaby coach Eddie Jones isn't pushing the panic button just yet, claiming only one per cent separated the top five nations.

When asked whether Australia had the players to win rugby's most coveted prize, Jones replied: "Most definitely, without a shadow of a doubt".

Barring further injury, Queensland's Ben Tune will be a member of the World Cup squad, however his future was in doubt in July when "Tune-gate" erupted.

It was revealed that the 46-Test winger had been given a banned substance, probenecid, during the 2001 Super 12 to treat a knee infection.

Tune played two games before officials realised the drug was banned by the IRB, and he was stood down for four matches until the drug left his system.

However Queensland and Australian rugby officials covered up the reasons for his withdrawal, citing "injury", and then failed to notify the IRB.

Tune was threatened with a possible two-year ban but escaped punishment.

The year started brightly with the ACT Brumbies reaching the Super 12 final for the third successive year, only to lose to the record-breaking Canterbury Crusaders.

The Waratahs turned in their best-ever Super 12 season to finish second on the table before a final round 96-19 humiliation at the hands of the Crusaders, and then a semi-final loss to ACT.

Queensland just missed the semi-finals finishing fifth, which resulted in former Wallaby skipper Andrew Slack replacing Mark McBain as Reds coach.

The Wallabies opened their domestic season with a two-Test series win against a travel-weary French line-up with all eyes on league converts Wendell Sailor and Mat Rogers, who made their debut.

While Sailor showed this year he still has some way to go to make a real impact in his new code, Rogers proved a revelation.

The super-sub will be a key to the World Cup - if he can find a position, having played at fullback, wing, five-eighth and in the centres this year.

Australia's Bledisloe Cup defence got off to a shaky start in more ways than one.

The Wallabies were left shivering in the freezing conditions in Christchurch, as the All Blacks held out for a try-less 12-6 win.

They got their revenge three weeks later at Stadium Australia when a penalty kick by Matt Burke on the stroke of full-time sealed a dramatic 16-14 win.

It was the third straight year the Australian side clinched the Cup in a thriller, and the fifth successive series win.

To claim the Tri Nations the Wallabies had to break their duck in Johannesburg, and do it by a 25-point margin, scoring four tries in the process.

However that proved too tall a task as the Springboks won the match 33-31 with a try on the siren to allow New Zealand to claim the main prize.

The ARU snared another prized league name in Brisbane Broncos Test winger Lote Tuqiri, who will turn out for NSW next year.

AFL Brownlow Medallist Jason Akermanis also made a threat - albeit tongue in cheek - to switch codes.

Australian rugby also had a number of departures with Sam Cordingley, Marc Stcherbina, Graeme Bond and Mark Connors heading to Europe.

There was also the death of former Wallabies coach Greg Smith after a long battle with a brain tumour.

Australia finished second in the under 21 World Cup, while the Wallaroos were knocked out by eventual winners New Zealand in the women's rugby World Cup.

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